


Out of the Shadows, Now

by WrongRemedy



Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-12
Updated: 2012-02-12
Packaged: 2017-10-31 00:08:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/337724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WrongRemedy/pseuds/WrongRemedy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mike's thoughts after having to "fire" Alex on television.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Out of the Shadows, Now

**Author's Note:**

> Written after the February 28, 2011 edition of Raw, wherein Alex lost his match to Cena and had to be "fired".
> 
> Title taken from Alex's entrance theme, "Say It to My Face" by Downstait

The night he has to "fire" Alex is probably one of the better nights of Mike's life. He gets to wear a cool suit, tweet from ringside, and take pictures of Cena's stupid-ass face. Even better than all that, he has next to no physicality, so he doesn't have to get prodded by the medics backstage after the show.  
  
The best part of the show itself by far is getting to watch Alex in action, though. Alex is gorgeous enough in general, and Mike is the first to admit he has moments where he has to struggle to take his eyes off him. But watching him in the ring is something entirely different. His skin all uncovered, muscles working, that fucking back tattoo all on display; Mike drinks it in, because he doesn't really get to see Alex in this context as often as he'd like.  
  
When the match starts, Cole elbows him, pulls his mic away from his face, and makes a crack at the fact that Alex will have to get his own music and video if he wants to be on his own. Mike smiles, maybe chuckles a little, but really, he can't deny the smug pride he feels whenever Alex has to use  _their_  entrance theme.  
  
If there's any moment Mike is dreading in his life, it's when their storyline eventually comes to a full close, and Alex becomes his own entity. Of course Mike wants him to be successful, but he's also completely selfish and willing to own up to the fact. He wants Alex to have opportunities, but he also kind of wants to keep him all to himself. But they'll cross that bridge when they get there, and even though it looks to the fans like it's over, they know better. Mike still has Alex with him on tv, at least for a while, and right now, he has to go lay out Cena and head backstage.  
  
As soon as he backs up the ramp - title held up and smirk firmly in place - and makes it through the curtain, he's at the monitor, watching the ring to get cleared and the crowd start to file out. He always gets antsy when he has to wait for Alex backstage, but he thinks he does a pretty decent job of hiding it, for the most part. If there's anything he's good at, it's playing cool.  
  
Alex comes through the curtain looking sweaty and happy and just the slightest bit wired; like all he would need is a bit of a cool-down before he'd be up and running again. Which is good - fantastic, actually - because that means that by the time he showers and changes and Mike drives them back to the hotel, Alex should be completely receptive to Mike jumping him.  
  
He struts across to sling an arm around Alex's shoulders and press a kiss to his temple as he leads them down the hallway towards the locker room. Alex grins and leans into him, letting himself be pulled along. He's probably making Mike's suit a little gross with sweat because of the proximity, but Mike doesn't actually give a shit, as long as his boy is at his side.  
  
Mike waits out on the bench while Alex rinses off and changes clothes. He re-tweets the pictures he fucked up during the live show, and sends out the one Cena wrote while he's at it. He checks a few of the fan responses, smiling at all of them, even the ones from haters. It's all pop, and it's all good, in their business. Mike takes it as a compliment.  
  
Alex gets dressed and packed and walks up with both of their duffles on his shoulder.  
  
"C'mon, babe," he says, and Mike smirks as he stands up, pocketing his phone and adjusting his title over his shoulder.  
  
"Who said you were allowed to boss me around all of a sudden?" he asks, challenging, teasing. "I'm the WWE champion, here. I don't take orders from anybody."  
  
Alex grins. "Except for Vince."  
  
Mike waves his hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, that guy. Whatever, he wishes he owned me."  
  
Alex looks him over, eyes alight but just barely starting to go darker. His smirk softens a bit, becomes something different, and the next time he speaks, his voice has dropped maybe half an octave and gotten quieter.  
  
"Yeah, I bet he does. Betcha they all do."  
  
Mike moves into Alex's space then, just crowding him a little so they can kiss. It doesn't go very far; it isn't even that intense. It's just solid and real and comforting, really, to lean on Alex and feel him leaning back, and to breathe together. When they break apart, they give each other small, matching smiles, and Mike doesn't look away from Alex's face as he links their free hands together.  
  
Alex's smile widens when their fingers entangle, and he sticks his tongue out through his teeth a little, which makes Mike laugh. They bump shoulders as they walk to the car, smiling at and exchanging greetings or goodbyes with the people they pass.  
  
He fired Alex. He feels like that should be a big deal somehow, but it isn’t. Alex is still here, walking along beside him, and when they get in the car, Alex is there too, smiling at him from the passenger seat and holding his hand over the console. When they get back to the hotel, Alex will be in his bed, and when Mike wakes up in the morning, Alex will still be there.  
  
Mike stops the car outside the hotel, and turns to look at Alex, quiet. Alex looks back questioningly, but waits for Mike to speak rather than prompting him. Mike appreciates it, especially because whatever he was going to say just got lost in his head. Finally, he manages a small, barely there smile and nearly-whispers,  
  
“I’m really glad you’re here.”  
  
Alex smiles broadly, shaking his head a little like he can’t really believe Mike just said that. He looks up again, and there’s nothing but sincere adoration in his eyes.  
  
“I’m really glad I’m here too, Mike.”  
  
They sit there in the dark of the car, smiling at each other like huge dorks for a few more minutes, and in any other instance, Mike would pretty much hate himself for what a loser he’s become. But this is Alex, and somehow, that makes all the difference.


End file.
